Brick-machine



GEO. O. HOUCK AND HENRY GORE, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

BRICK-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known t-hat we, GEORGE O. Houck and HENRY GORE, of Springfield, inthe county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented a new and ImprovedMachine for Molding and Pressing Bricks; and we do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure l, is a vertical section of ourimprovement taken in the line Fig. 2. Fig. 2, is an end view of ditto.Fig. 3, is a horizontal section of ditto taken in line (m) Fig. 1. Fig.4, is a horizontal section of the mud mill shaft showing the manner iswhich the arms or beaters are attached to it. Fig. 5, is a transversesection of t-he vibrating frame below the mud-mill, and one of the boxesof said frame, showing the manner in which the pressing device, whennecessary is rendered inoperative while the grinding or tempering deviceis in operation.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

This invention consists in a novel device connected with the pressingmechanism whereby said mechanism may, when necessary, be renderedinoperative while the other' working part, viz., t-he tempering deviceis in operation.

The invention also consists in the peculiar means employed forpresenting the molds to the press boxes and also for cutting olf theclay therefrom.

The invention further consists in an improvement in the mud mill wherebythe bottom of the same and press boxes are relieved to a considerableextent of the pressure of the superincumbent clay and much frictionthereby avoided and other advantages obtained as hereinafter shown.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct ourinvention we will proceed to describe it.

A represents a rectangular frame the upper part of which is inclosed soas to form a box B. Two opposite sides of the box are inclosed by slides(a) (a) which may be readily removed or withdrawn when necessary for thepurpose of cleaning the box, or repairing any of the working parts ofthe machine that are accessible from within it.

O, is a wooden shaft which is placed vertically within the box B and atits center. The lower end of this shaft is stepped in a 19,866, datedFebruary 16, 1858.

cross piece (b) in the lower part of the frame A.

D, is an eccentric which is placed on the lower end of the shaft O.rlhis eccentric is constructed of metal, and it is placed within a frameE, which may also be constructed of metal. This frame is fittedunderneath the bottom B, of the box B, and is formed of two broad endpieces (c), (c), connected by side bars (d), (d), see more particularlyOn the shaft O, a series of metal flanches or bosses (e) are secured.These bosses or flanches are provided With sockets in which wooden armsor beaters (f) are fitted in dove tail form as shown clearly in Fig. 4.Four flanches or bosses with arms attached are shown on the shaft C, inFig. 1, but more or less may be used as desired. The upper end of shaftC, is stepped in a cross piece O.

Vithin the box B, and to its two opposite sides (g) (g) strips or ledges(h) (la.) are att-ached. These strips or ledges project a suitabledistance from the inner sides of the box as shown in Fig. l and areattached to the sides (g) a short distance above their lower ends, andextend across the whole width of the sides.

On each end piece (c) of the frame E, a box F, is placed or iitted.These boxes are each formed of an upper and lower plate connected attheir front ends by vertical studs each box having its front end (7c)connected to it by hinges or joints the upper parts of the ends (7c)being connected to the boxes as shown clearly in Fig. 1.

At the lower end of the box B, and at each side below the sides (g) (g)an opening (l) is made. These openings as will be seen by referring toFig. 1, form recesses directly in front of the ends (lc) of the boxes F,F. To the outer sides of the side pieces (g) (g) of the box B, anddirectly over the opening (Z) metallic frames are secured, one over eachopening. These frames are each provided with a grating (n), the openingsof which correspond in size to the molds (0) as shown clearly in Fig. 3.G, represents a box of molds.

Within each frame (m) a sliding frame H, is iitted or placed. The endsof said frames being fitted in grooves (79) at the ends of the frame m).Each frame H, has

a horizontal wire (Q) fitted inA it, the ends of said wires beingattached to springs (QW), said wires being attached to the frames H, atabout their centers. To the upper part of n rods having each a spiralspring on them, the springs having a tendency to throw the rods outward.To the ends of the rods levers (bx) are attached, one to each, and tothe upper side of plate (w) two screws (cx), (0X), are attached saidscrews passing through small ledges or uprights T o the lower part ofeach frame (m), (m), a metallic plate or shelf (ex) is jointed orhinged, as shown at (sx), and to projecting bars J, which are attachedto the upper end of each frame (m) a catch K is secured, said catchesbeing acted upon by springs (g) and levers (L) which are also attachedto the bars J, as shown more particularly in Fig. l.

The end pieces (j) of the boxes extend along by the sides of the bars(cZ) ((Z), of the frame E. These end pieces (j) as well as the bars (OZ)have holes (c) made through them, and pins (Z) which are attached tobars L, L, pass through said holes securing the boxes F, over the ends(c) (c) of the frame E, springs (m) which are attached to the bars (cZ)(cZ) keeping the pins Z) in the holes, see more particularly Fig. 5. Theboxes F, may be secured more or less over or on the end pieces (e), (e),in order to regulate the pressure as hereinafter described.

The operation is as follows: The boxes F, F, are first adjusted outwardso as to close the openings (Z), (Z). The clay and water is then placedin box B, and power applied to shaft C, the arms or beaters (f) of whichtemper the clay. When the clay is properly tempered the boxes F, F, areadjusted farther back on the ends (c) (c) ofthe frame E, and these boxeswill then have a reciprocating motion as they will move with frame E,which is operated back and forth by the eccentric D. As the boxes F, F,move back and forth they press the tempered clay through the frames (m),H, into the molds (0)-as soon as each box F, has reached the end of itsoutward movement and filled the molds (o), the catch I, below the filledmolds is actuated by its screw (0X) and the frame H, of the filled moldsis moved upward by its spring (t), the wire (Q) cutting off the clay andthe lever (L) which is actuated by the upper end of the frame H, as itrises tripping the catch K, and allowing the plate or shelf (ex) to turndown by its own gravity, in connection with that of the box G of molds.As the plate (w) moves in one direction and one frame H, is released,the other at the opposite side of the frame A, is brought down owing tothe connection of said frames with the plate (w) by means of the chains(u). And as the filled molds are taken from one shelf, empty ones aresanded and placed thereon, the shelves being turned up so as to becaught and retained by the catches K, until the molds are lled. By thisinvention it will be seen that the molds are filled alternately atopposite sides of the machine, and that the pressing device by adjustingthe boxes F, as previously described may be rendered inoperative whenthe mud mill is to be operated alone. This is necessary at least whenthe machine is irst started as a quantity of clay must first be temperedbefore being formed into the molds. ll/Then however the first quantityof clay is tempered both the grinding and pressing devices may operatesimultaneously the clay being gradually fed into the box B. The stripsor ledges (ZL) in the box B, partially sustain the clay therein andconsequently prevent it from oozing out through the opening (Z) whensaid openings are closed as tightly as may be by the boxes F. The hingedends (Zr) of said boxes allow the air to escape from or pass freelythrough the boxes F.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. YThe boxes or followers F, F, applied to or fitted on the ends (c),(c), of the frame E, and connected thereto substantially as herein shownfor the purpose set forth.

2. The hinged plates or shelves (cx) which receive the molds attached tothe frame A, as shown and used in connection with the stationary framesand sliding frames H, provided with the wires (g) the whole beingarranged to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The sliding frames H, provided with the wires (g) or theirequivalents and connected with the springs (t) in connection with thespring catches I, the above parts being arranged so as to be operatedautomatically from the reciprocating follower frame E, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

4:. The strips or ledges placed within the box B, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

GEO. O. HOUCK. HENRY GORE.

Witnesses REUBEN MILLER, EMANUEL CROPLAND.

